Blind having relatively adjustable slats



Jan. 19, 1960 ALVAREZ $921,628

BLIND HAVING RELATIVELY ADJUSTABLE suns Filed April 9, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

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i INVENTOR. l a ALFomo ALVAREZ lriclnl. By M @TTRNEY Jan. 19, 1960 Filed April 9, 1957 A. ALVAREZ BLIND HAVING RELATIVELY ADJUSTABLE SLATS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 &

IN VEN TOR.

ALFONSO ALVAREZ BY/ My ATTORNEY Jan. 19, 1960 A. ALVAREZ BLIND HAVING RELATIVELY ADJUSTABLE SLATS Filed April 9. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 j 4 1.5. 26 Y6 l:- E1 54 l i 25 l 17 k A 2 .Ta 2'7 29 f 5 6 I INVENTOR.

ALFONSO ALVA REZ ATTORNEY United States PatentO RELATIVELY ADJUSTABLE SLATS BLIND HAVING This invention relates in general to a blind of the type that comprises a plurality of slats, and a prime object of the invention is to provide such a blind which shall have the slats connected in a novel and improved manner to permit a wide range of control of light and ventilation through a window or other opening and at the same time form a security guard for the opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blind of this character which shall embody novel and improved features of construction whereby selectively passage of light through the opening can be freely permitted or can be either completely or partially cut off throughout the area of the opening, or can be either completely or partially cut off at either the top or bottom portions of the opening.

A further object is to provide in a slatted blind, novel and improved means for flexibly connecting the slats for movement freely toward and away from each other and angularly with respect to each other, whereby the slats selectively can be positioned in snug edgewise abutting contact with each other, or can be moved substantial distances apart from each other, and can be rolled upon and unrolled from a roller to move the blind across the opening, when desired.

A still further object is to provide a slatted blind of the character described which shall include a novel and improved manually operated slat stop to limit movement of the slats across the window opening in such a manner as to cause certain of the slats to be disposed in edge to edge relation and at the same time allow other slats to move apart from each other.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a slatted blind embodying the invention, showing the same installed in a window opening;

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view on the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1, with portions broken away,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged composite elevational and vertical sectional view of a portion of the blind and the sla stop mechanism; I

Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 7-7 of Figure 2; and

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the reference character A designates the frame IQC of an opening to be controlled by the blind B. As shown, the frame is a window frame providing a window opening which is normally closed in the usual manner by sashes C and D and according to modern custom also is provided with a storm sash E and a screen F that seasonably may be placed in and removed from the frame. The frame is shown as comprising a sill 1, a top piece or lintel 2 and side jambs 3. v

U Secured to each of the jambs 3 at the outer side of the window opening is a channeled guide 4 for a plurality of slats 5 that may be formed of any suitable material but preferably are made of some hard resilient material such as metal or a synthetic plastic composition which can be molded, extruded or otherwise suitably shaped. Obviously, by varying the material, size, and shape of the slats, the blind may be adapted to fulfill any one or more of its light-controlling, ventilating and security guard functions. 'As shown, the slats are formed of sheet material having some inherent resiliency, such as aluminum, and they are channelshaped or inverted V-shaped with arcuately curved base portions 6 and depending flanges 7 that diverge at a sharply acute angle, as best shown in Figure 2. It is also desirable that the space between the free edges of the flanges 7 be somewhat greater than the width of the base portion 6 so that the flanges of one slat may resiliently embrace and receive between them the base portion of the next lower slat as best shown in the lower portion of Figure 2 of the drawings.

The slats are connected in a novel and improved manner to permitthemto be positioned in engagement with each other or to be moved substantial distances apart or to be disposed in angular relations to each other. As shown, the slats are connected by flexibly foldable connectors having protuberances spaced longitudinally thereof, such as a known type of flexible ball chain 8 which comprises a plurality of hollow balls 9 connected by dumbbell-shaped links '11 Each ball 9 has diametrically opposed openings 11, and each link 10 has a ball shaped head 12 loosely fitted within the ball 9 with its shank portion passing through one of the openings 11, whereby the balls and links are swivelly and pivotally connected together.

The base portion 6 of each slat at each end thereof has a slit or notch 13 in which one of the'links 10 is loosely fitted with one of the balls 9 abuttingly engageable with each of opposite sides of the base portion 6 between the flanges 7. The slats are connected to the chains 8 in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of the chains 8 when the chains are extended, the spacing of the slats being 'such as may be required by the particular conditions under which the blind is to be used, and the chains are collapsible or foldable so that each slat may move into edgewise engagement with a next adjacent slat as shown at' the lower portions of Figs. 1, 2 and 3. When the slats. are in edgewise engagement with each other,

light, air and moisture are prevented from passing between the slats, the overlapping or mutually wedge-like embracing relation of the slats providing a weather and lighttight joint between the slats. Also, in this position the slats provide a security guard. The slats may be moved diflerent distances apart as shown at the upper portions of Figures 1, 2 and 3 so as to permit passage of light, air and moisture between the slats.

Desirably a roller 14 is provided upon which the blind may be rolled and from which the blind may be unrolled to move the slats upwardly and downwardly respectively across the window opening. The roller has a shaft 15 which is journaled in bearings16 on the end walls of a casing 17 that is secured at the top of the opening to the structure, such as the window frame A, by which the opening is formed. The upper end of the blind is fast secured to the roller so that as the roller is rotated in'the direction of the arrow on Figure 3, the blind will be pulled upwardly and rolled on the roller. Preferably the upper ends of the channel guides 4 are provided with funnel-shaped mouths 18 to permit free passage of the slats into and out of the guides.

Any suitablemeansmay be provided for rotating the roller, but as shown, a cable or cord 19 has one end wrapped around the roller and its other end pasting through guides 20 in the window frame and over an id er pulley 22 mounted on the inside of the window frame and then downwardly to a winding reel 23 of any suitable type having a hand crank 24. Desirably, the reel will have a pawl and ratchet mechanism for holding the blind in different adjustable positions.

A latch stop mechanism G (Figs. 1, and 6) is provided to limit movement of certain of the slats in the guideways 4. As shown, one of the guideways has a recess 25 in its base portion 26 of a length somewhat greater than the width of one of the slats, the recess having a shoulder 27 at its lower end. On the other guide 4 is mounted a device for forcing a slat lengthwise of itself and transversely of the window opening to project one end of the slat into the recess 25. This device is shown as comprising a cam 28 rigidly connected to an operating shaft 29 that is journaled in a guide tube 30 thatextends through the window frame and has a handle portion 31 at its inner end. Coacting with said cam is.-a leaf spring 32 that has one end fixedly connected to a casing 33 which is secured to the guide 4 and houses the spring and cam. The base portion 26 of the guide 4 has a slot 34 through which the spring 32 can be pressed by rotation of the cam 28 as shown in Figures 5 and 6 so that the end of the spring is pressed against the end of the juxtaposed slat and causes movement of said slat to project the other end of the slat into the recess 25 and in abutting engagement with the shoulder 27. It will he understood that the chains 8 are flexible enough to permit this movement of the slat. The slat is then supported by the shoulder 27 and the spring 32 and is prevented from further downward movement in the channel guide. Normally the cam and spring 32 will be swung out of the path of movement of the slats by proper manipulation .of the handle 31, as shown by broken lines in Figure 5.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that by unrolling the slats from the roll 14 and permitting the leading slat to rest upon the window sill 1, and by actuating the latch stop into the operative position shown in Figure 5, the slats may be disposed in edgewise abutting relation in the lower portion of the Window opening as shown in Figures 1 and 3, and the slats at the upper portion of the window will be in spaced relation to each other to provide for passage of light between them and for ventilation. The slats are in a common plane transverse of the opening. By releasing the latch stop and continuing to unroll the slats, the slats at the upper portion of the opening will be brought into e'dgewise abutting relation to completely close the opening. When all of the slats have been rolled upon the roller, the opening is completely open for the passage of light and air. Should it be esired to leave the lower portion of the opening open and to partially or completely out olf light at the upper portion of the opening, the latch stop would be actuated into operative position as shown in Figure 5 and then the slats would be unrolled whereupon downward movement of the leading slat would be stopped by the latch stop, and the slats thereabove could be either moved into edgewise abutting relation or into spaced relation to each other, if desired. It will also be seen that the slats can be 'arranged in spaced relation at the lower portion of the opening while at the same time the slats at the upper portion of the opening may be arranged in abutting relation to each other.

height or area of the opening.

1;. Light can be cut off partially throughout the full height or area of the opening.

c. Light can be cut ofi completely at either the top or bottom portions of the opening while allowing limited passage of light between the slats through the remainder of the opening.

(I. Either full or limited passage of light .can be provided at the upper portion of the opening while allowing full and unlimited passage of light at the bottom portion of the opening.

e. Full and unlimited passage of light can be provided throughout the full height or area of the opening.

The blind embodying the invention may be installed on either the inside or outside of theopening and canbe operated from the same or the opposite side. If desired, a motor'could be provided for rotating the roller 14, and other operative connections than that shown could be provided between the operating mechanism and the roller. Also, means'for locking the blind in closed position could be added.

The wide range of control of lightand-ventilation afforded-by the invention makes the blind especially desirable for use in the windows of school buildings, factories and other structures where control of the passage of light and air is important.

While the now preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for the-purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in the details of construction of the blind and theoperatingmechanism therefor, as wellas theinstallation thereof in open ings of'various types of structures maybe-made within the spirit and scope of 'the'invention.

What-[claim is:

1. A blind comprising a plurality of stats, elongated guide means in which-said slats are slidably mounted, and flexibly foldable connections between said slats providing selectively for edge-to-edge mutualabutment of adjacent slats and for spacing apart of said slats longitudinally of said guide means, and means mounted in said guide means intermediate the length thereof and 'engageable with the ends of a selected slat for stopping the sliding movement of said slat in said guide means.

2. A blind as defined in claim 1 wherein said guide means includes spaced and parallel channel guides, and said slat stop means includes a shouldered recess in one guide to receive one end of a slat with the slat resting on said shoulder, and cam means in the other guide to engage .the other end of said slat for pushing said slat longitudinally into said recess onto said shoulder'and for simultaneously providing a support stop for the secondmentioned end of the slat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,912,817 Bauer June 6, 1933 1,966,728 Lecluyse July 17, 1934 2,118,134 Allison May 24, 1938 2,165,292 Morse et al. July 11, 1939 2,187,458 Lawson Jan. 16, 1940- 2,3l-5,60S Ehrenfcld Apr. 6, 1943 2,318,525 Renton May 4, 1943 2,551,736 Guarcello May 8, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,045 Great Britain Jan. 25, 1912 322,457 Great Britain Dec. 3, 1929 

